Rare, Early Moments of Baby Supernovae

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NASA Spacecraft Capture Rare, Early Moments of Baby Supernovae

Astronomers are going gaga over newborn supernova measurements taken by NASA’s Kepler and Swift spacecraft, poring over them in hopes of better understanding what sparks these world-shattering stellar explosions. Scientists are particularly fascinated with Type la supernovae, as they can serve as a lighthouse for measuring the vast distances across space.

“Kepler’s unprecedented pre-event supernova observations and Swift’s agility in responding to supernova events have both produced important discoveries at the same time but at very different wavelengths,” says Paul Hertz, Director of Astrophysics. “Not only do we get insight into what triggers a Type Ia supernova, but these data allow us to better calibrate Type Ia supernovae as standard candles, and that has implications for our ability to eventually understand the mysteries of dark energy.”

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